From Chasing Violations to Managing Risks

The evolving nature of labour inspection, enforcement of employment rights and the regulatory reach of the state in Britain

“…This contrasts with the ‘Franco-Latin’ model of inspection where a single agency is responsible for violations of employment standards (Piore, 2011: 148–149). While outcomes of the British system of health and safety enforcement are broadly similar to those in Germany, where inspection activity is more common, with the former case praised for its historical efficiency and risk-based approach, concerns have been raised regarding the reduction of inspections in Britain, the removal of a large number of workplaces from the remit of inspectors, and threats to efficiency and performance driven by budgetary constraints (Blanc, 2016).…”

“…In the UK case, it appears that both of these approaches have weakened in recent years, with increasing evidence of standards being breached and the more innovative, collaborative approach fostered before 2010 weakened as well. Such innovations and an ostensibly more ‘strategic’ approach to inspection have attracted positive attention within various international institutions including the International Labour Organization (ILO) (Ellis, 2005: 56) and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (for a comparative analysis of innovative and challenging aspects of enforcement reform in the UK, see Blanc, 2016). However, scaled-down or ‘strategic’ approaches to enforcement and the emphasis on compliance approaches -- a common feature of enforcement systems in liberal market economies -- rather than deterrence appear inadequate to deal with issues such as wage theft and the denial of employment rights within labour markets increasingly dominated by insecure employment (Vosko et al., 2017).…”

“…This article focuses on the changing nature of state enforcement of employment regulation in the context of Britain, a neoliberal, deregulatory, but in some ways increasingly interventionist, marketising political economy (see Clark, 2000; Gamble, 1988; Smith, 2009), particularly in terms of migrant groups, policing and social policy. The case of Britain is of interest as reforms and restructuring of regulatory actors herald (for some) a new and more indirect, strategic form of labour enforcement which is innovative and flexible (Blanc, 2016: 221). Direct state enforcement of employment regulation is in many countries conducted through a singular, centralised labour inspectorate, but in Britain such direct regulation is more diffuse with responsibility for regulating health and safety at work, labour subcontracting (particularly in the agriculture and food industries), employment agencies, minimum wage enforcement and forced labour divided among the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), the Employment Agencies Standards Inspectorate (EASI), HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the police and the Border Agency.…”

Elucidating the Neuroprotective Effect of Tecoma stans Leaf Extract in STZ-Induced Diabetic Neuropathy

“…There is an array of literature available, which describes the potential of natural products derived from plant origin, which have the potential to become the drug of choice in various metabolic disorders. These products, when used as monotherapy or in combination with current allopathic drugs, were shown to decrease the therapeutic dose, however achieving the same pharmacological effects [ 6 ]. The least adverse effects, low cost, and easy availability make these plant-based formulations the major option among all the available treatments, specifically in rural regions [ 7 ].…”

Effectiveness of the Labour Inspection Authority’s regulatory tools for work environment and employee health: study protocol for a cluster-randomised controlled trial among Norwegian home-care workers

“…Recent reviews suggest that labour inspections improve compliance with OSH requirements and may reduce the incidence of occupational injuries 4–6. Nevertheless, two other reviews underlined the need for conducting experimental studies to produce decisive proof 7 8. Moreover, there is a major research gap in the effect of labour inspections on psychosocial work environment and the ability of the inspections to prevent work-related musculoskeletal and mental health complaints 4.…”